draw your bath, grab a glass, pour your bubbles & enjoy this bullsh.t
both can be true //
…but first, we banter…
kicking off my weekly hot takes… I want to note that it’s just random chatter from me. As I always say…. multiple things can be true! I hope these hot takes encourage thought-provoking conversations & new information for you + FOR ME. Some of the takes will be silly… some of it will be serious… some of it will be short… some of it will be lengthy… some of it will be personal… some of it will be controversial…
& anytime I really need to vent about something, I ask a friend “can I be c~nty for 60 seconds?” I believe in : release the negativity, to receive the positivity. LET IT OUT GIRL!!! These are my hot takes from last week…
if you want to skip the banter & do something good, SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM for ‘Sisterhood is Sacred’
hot takes //
We make the wrong people popular on the apps
I am sure you just thought of someone who has gone viral in the past & you’re thinking… how the hell are you “famous” & why aren’t you in jail or something!? We just need to NOT engage with these people & their content. The more we engage with it, the more it goes viral. We need to be intentional with our engagement, with our algo. You curate your own FYP, brick by brick…
The person who popped into my mind? Ashley Trevino *throws up in mouth* - how did y’all make her viral on TikTok?! I have learned everything against my will about her. I know she had her own part in it… but she needs to be in JAIL, just like her husbands.
- Sub Hot Take // AT did influence me to make sure I’m drinking water + eating fruits & veg, because honey… I am about her age & don’t look like I’ve been through it & I don’t want to age like spoiled milk… or spoiled bean dip. Do we call this… counterinfluence?
We know the apps are designed not to support marginalized communities, specifically to the BIPOC community. The next time you are engaging with content & creators, think about who you want to uplift & empower for their engagement, for their reach.
Poppi $25K vending machines
Speaking of NOT supporting marginalized communities and BIPOC creators… Poppi vending machine gate 2025; we have to be specific, because Poppi has had so many gates in the past.
TLDR; Poppi sent vending machines to creators that cost $25,000 EACH (allegedly) - filled with cans of Poppi, fully digitized ordering screen. I read (can’t confirm) 32 machines were sent, totaling $800,000++ (+ their product, labor, branding, etc…) & NONE to BIPOC creators (that I have seen YET, correct me). ON TOP OF ALL OF THIS, they spent $8M on a 30-sec ad (allegedly) yesterday.
If there is one thing I know… Olipop will be messy AND I LOVE IT!!! They have been commenting on ALL the TikToks (see Snaxshot). I have been an Olipop stan basically since day one (doesn’t make me better, just saying, I know the lore). I have turned so many friends to Olipop. Poppi tasteterrible to me. Olipop actually has flavor + benefits and mimic’s soda replacements like Vintage Cola AKA Coca Cola.
If there is another thing I have learned as a creator, if there is a product being PUMPED into social media, it sucks. COUGHbloomCOUGH. They threw this money into the creators, because they EXPECT a ROI… you following? you hear the CTA? VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLAR.
BETTER IDEA: I saw a few people suggesting that Poppi should’ve sent these vending machines to schools, fire stations, hospitals, animal shelters, etc… I absolutely love this idea & a total missed opportunity, especially with all of the natural disasters. This is how you do BETTER marketing; brands with a purpose, with an ethos.
Consumers are begging for real + relatable content, creators & brands. When will brands start giving into communities more? When will brands STOP being out of touch? When will brands bring reg peeps on brandtrips? I think we are overdue for a full post on this topic + what I think brands should do, as an expert : activism x creator x public relations x experiential marketing.
Normalize 🍃 at corporate parties
*receives work email in my inbox tomorrow morning* Alcohol is a drug, but there is one difference between alcohol & 🍃 (covering ALL spectrums; CBD, delta-8, etc) : 🍃 has proven benefits, alcohol has ZERO. I have seen a shift in workplaceevents overall with less alcohol consumption + companies requesting more elevated non-alc cocktails. This can be a great harm reduction tool. However… as a corporate event planner, I wonder when will companies start embracing the 🍃? -OR- will they do away with alcohol & vices overall?
DISCLAIMER : I am not promoting either. As you know, I am alcohol free. It’s a hot take & a realistic discussion as an event planner. I don’t plan events without alcohol, because that is what my job + audience requests. I do plan every event with an elevated NA option, ALWAYS.
Wear the fur as WFH outfit
Do it. It’s fun. Keep your athleisure outfit on, throw on the fur, romanticize your WFH days & outfit. Be the maincharacter in your Zoom meetings. You can find great deals on FacebookMarketplace, if you’re on the hunt now.
If you’re not talking about politics in some capacity right now
… you’re a part of the problem. I know this may be hard to hear & feel uncomfortable, but we have a crisis, a 911, a redalert happening in the USA right now. We aren’t being hyperbolic. I am politically engaged + civically activated & I need you to lock in. Everything is political; from your job to mental health to groceries - EVERYTHING. The only people who won’t be affected will be the billionaires.
Activism + liberation can be done in infinite ways : in the streets. on your couch. loud. quiet. behind your screen. with your words.
Keep conspiracy theories off the internet.
Every time something major happens, people start brewing conspiracy theories. They’re dangerous & sometimes even disgusting. Lives are lost in some events. Conspiracy theories are the safe, lazy space for your brain. The government much rather you be distracted with conspiracy theories instead of understanding capitalism, fascism, the system & how our government operates… because, if you understood capitalism + how the system is operating (it’s not broken, it’s working the way it’s intended to), then you could help dismantle it + repair it. Conspiracy theories are a pillar of the alt right pipeline AND fascism… to create distrust within the WRONG communities.
Now, you know I am not talking about ALL CT. There are some fun lore ones out there… but, getting wrapped up into everything being a CT or dangerous ones like Hurricane Helene in Asheville… you know? Not good.
We’re watching the consequences of profits over people from capitalism; the consequences of an uneducated mass without critical thinking skills.
Bronzing the forehead doesn’t make sense
After really paying attention to my makeup & watching GRWM… I don’t get it anymore. It doesn’t make sense to me. It doesn’t look natural. People say, “that’s where the sun hits you.” Maybe I am different, but I tan everywhere… the sun hitsme everywhere. I stopped bronzing my forehead & feel my make up looks so much better. IMO, bronzing the forehead is for the stage, because the bright lights wash us out. As a previous dancer (18 years), this is why we do really dramatic make up. We look silly in person, but we look normal on the stage.
You’re a lazy hospitality brand,
…if you don’t have an elevated no & low menu. I said what I said & I’ve said it to restaurants, straight up. Then, I get them a free sample of something & all is well. It is 2025 & there is so much FREE information on the internet & there are so many great products, including non-alcoholic wines. You have the leaded (with alcohol) cocktail recipe, an easy addition with a great non-alc spirit for your no & low menu.
PS - if you ever need to send an email to restaurant, I created a “Zero Proof Email”here for you to copy paste. Also, restaurants & bars, Airgoods is a great resource for non-alcoholic products.
I don’t care that ChatGPT uses water
You can thank capitalism for this take, because that is a bigger problem overall. If you need to conserve your energy or you stayed up late with your sick child, use it without guilt. I do care more that it is ruining our creative brains.
To be transparent : estimation of 100-word email, ChatGPT uses about 519 milliliters of water = +16.9 ounce bottle. It needs a lot of water to run its servers.
Capitalism is the root, ChatGPT is the symptom.
Read more about it here | ‘Thirsty’ ChatGPT uses four times more water than previously thought
Stop opening gifts at parties in front of people
It’s weird, it’s uncomfortable. Stop doing it. Nobody wants to sit in a circle & watch you open each gift & compare each other’s price tag. Psst, we know you are uncomfortable, too. Do it later, behind doors, in your PJs, with a beverage & snacks. We know the Boomers are forcing you…
Let your dogs sleep with you
We’re here for a good time AND long time. There are people who think it’s gross for your dog to sleep with you. I get it, but Gia is my 6th Dane & they are known as the heartbreak breed. Their life expectancy is low compared to other breeds. This doesn’t mean don’t create boundaries & manners…
TikTok profile views give me anxiety + annoying
I hate this feature so much. I have mine turned off, but as a content creator, we still get notified + we see it in each TT. AKA I see when people watch & don’t like or engage… & sure, yes, absolutely, I put content out there PUBLICLY, but I will be vulnerable for a moment and say I hate seeing some people look at my stuff… that’s my banter wound.
& retractable leashes still PMO this week.
good take //
after all my bantering with hot takes, I want to us to do some good, too! I am sharing ‘Sisterhood is Sacred’ from
“The Sisterhood Is Sacred crewneck was created to support one of my dear sister-friends, a woman who has shown resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship. She is navigating a divorce, freeing herself from the grip of narcissistic abuse, and reclaiming her peace after years of emotional manipulation. It is not an easy road, but she is walking it with courage—for herself and her children.”
